Boiler



Feb. 17, 1942. P; w. VANDENBERG 2,273,453

BOILER s. sheets-Sheet 1 FiledAug. 16, 1959 Feb. 17, 1942. P. w.VANDENBERG 2,273,453

BOILER Filed Aug. 16, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 17, 1942. P. w.vANDENl-:RG

BOILER Patented Feb. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOILER `PaulW. Vandenberg, Elmhurst, Ill., assignor to rCrane Co., Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Application August 16, 1939Serial No. 290,418 4Claims. (Cl. 122-225) This invention relates to steam and hot waterboilersl and more particularly it relates either to I coal, gas or oilred boilers characterized by upright or vertically extending sections.The novel construction of the boiler sections has been evolved ,to`create greater efciency in the boiler operation and to make availableeasily and economically new advantages and conveniences in themanufacture'and` assembly of the equipment.

It is well known by those skilled inthe art that in a coal or solid fuelburning boiler, whether the stoking is done by hand or by automaticmeans, the arrangement ofthe flue passages should preferably conform tothe general construction of an up-draft type'l of boiler. It is alsowell known that in a gas or oil fired boiler; in order to procure thegreatest efciency in the operation of the boiler, the arrangement oftheflue passages should conform to the general construction of a down-drafttype boiler. However, boilers presently available are vnot adaptable tosuch convenient or ready conversion from solid fuel burning respectivelyto gas orliquid fuel burning,` or vice versa, without an.y appreciablereduction in the operating efliciencies of the boilers.

Accordingly, it is a main object of this invention to provide a boilerconstruction which is readily adaptabler to conversion from an up-drafttype of boiler to a down-draft type of boiler or, conversely, from adown-draft to an lip-draft, and in which the operating eiiiciency of theboiler lwhen burning any type of fuel is comparable to the operatingefliciency of a nonconvertible boilerv when burning the particular fuelfor which itwas designed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a steam andl hot waterboiler having upright or vertically extending sections in which certainof the said.l sections lare invertable for the conversion of the boilerfrom a down-draft type of boiler to an up-draft type vof boiler, or viceversa. A `still further object is to incorporate in a single boiler themost efficient design for hand or automatic solid fuel firing and'alsovthe most eiicient design for gas or liquid fuel firing, therebyAsubstantially reducing the amount of manufacturing equipment and-thenumber of operations ordinarily required for the production of boilerswhich will efficiently burn all kinds of fuel. j

In carrying these and otherl objects, advantages and capabilities intoeffect reference should be had to the'accompanying drawings whichdisclose a preferred embodimentof the invention as described in thespecification.

Fig. 1v is a front elevation of the boiler with the rst boiler sectiontogether with the doorsl and grate operating mechanism removed. Theboiler is shown assembled for operation with coal or other solid fuel.

Fig. 2 is akvertical sidesectional' boiler shown in Fig. 1. j

Fig. 3 is a slightly magnified vertical side sectional view of theboiler taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4. The boiler is shown assembledwith the intermediatesections inverted for operation with gas or` liquidfuel, in which it will be noted that this figure shows a smoke hooddifferent view of the `from the smoke pipe shown in Fig. 1.

forming a single boiler is` subject to variation inasmuch as the numberof intermediate sections may be optionally altered to increase ordecrease theucapacity of the boiler. Therefore, the four sections hereinshown serve only to illustrate the invention. j

Referring in detail to Figs. 1 and 2, a typical coal fired boiler isshown which comprises a front section, generally designated I, one ormore intermediate sections 2, and a rear section 3. The usual grates,shaker mechanism, and ash pit are provided and a suitable re box orcombustion space 4 above the grates is provided as indicated. Each ofthesections is provided with a pair of side vertical water legs 5 incommunication with each other at their lower ends derstood that'theprecise' construction or arrangement of the lwater passageways' and theflue passageways is not important in the utilization of the inventionherein disclosed and that the shape of each Amay be variedconsiderablyto the water.

Without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

As in the usual solid fuel burning boiler, the main body of the productsof combustion passes upwardly and rearwardly impinging upon the exposedwalls of the water passageways defining the combustion chamber 4 wherethe heat of combustion is thus transferred through the walls The burnedand cooled products of combustion pass from the boiler through the smokepipe I3 which is interconnected with the com-bustion chamber and theflue passageways at the rear uppermost portion of the rear boilersection 3.

The rear side of the rear boiler section 3 is preferably provided withflue apertures near each end of the section. When the boi-ler isassembled for operation as an up-draft type of boiler, the lower flueaperture should be closed with a suit- 'able cover such as, for example,the cover I G,

which, if desired, may assume the form of a draft door, and when theboiler is assembled for operation as a down-draft boiler, as hereinafterdescribed, each upper flue aperture should be closed with a suitablecover such as, for example, the cover 2U, which, if desired, may take'the form of an explosion relief door.

The water is brought into the boiler through the return iiow inlet Ilocated at the rear lower end of section 3. It then may pass from oneboiler section to the next through the passageways 6. The amount ofwater drawn into each water leg and section passageway will depend uponthe rate at which the Water in each section is being heated and causedto rise from the respective legs to the upper portions of each -boilersection. When the boiler is used for generating steam, the water levelwill ordinarily be maintained in proximity to the passageways 'I. Thesteam rising from the water is conducted from the boiler through theoutlet Iii, although more than one outlet may be utilized, if desired.If the boiler is used in connection with a hot water heating system thewater is conducted from the boiler through the outlet pipe or pipes I5to the system.

Attention is now directed to Fig. 3 in which the same four boilersections which were shown and described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2have been assembled with the intermediate sections 2 inverted, therebyproviding a down-draft type of boiler for the eihcient combustion of gasor liquid fuels. The usual burner I6 and the repot I'I are here providedin place of the grates and other appurtenances which were provided onthe solid fuel burning boiler. As indicated by the arrows the combustionof the fuel takes place within the repot and the hot gases tend to risewithin the boiler.

At this point an important element of my contribution is stressed. andspecically attention is directed to the fact that when my boiler is usedas an up-draft type the smoke pipe I3 is attached to the upper rear sideof the boiler section 3. However, when my boiler is used as a down-drafttype under such conditions the smoke hood Il, which preferably comprisesa separate attachment, is secured to the rear side of the boiler section3. However, as distinguished from the smoke pipe I3, the smoke hood I9extends to the bottom of the section 3 where it connects with the boilerflue apertures I8. In view of the fact that the smoke hood I9 is notused on the boiler when the latter is assembled as illustrated in Figs.1 and 2, it is not shown.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the solid line arrows indicate the paths takenby the hot gases after combustion is completed within the repot. Thegases rise in the central portion of the boiler. Then as they come incontact with the exposed water passage surfaces the gases are cooled anddescend adjacent the interior sides of the boiler down past the repot tothe ues I2 provided by the intermediate sections 2. Then, as moreclearly shown in Fig. 3, the gases pass through the apertures IB insection 3 to the smoke hood I9 and then upwardly and out of the boileras indicated.

The Water return and the outlet piping are identical to that describedin connection with Figs. 1 and 2 and the general course of the waterthrough the boiler is likewise from the lower portion of the boilerupwardly through the water legs of the sections to the upper portion ofthe boiler and then out through the pipe, or pipes, I5, as shown by thedotted arrow lines in Fig. 4.

Referring now to Fig. 5 wherein one of the intermediate sections 2 isshown, it will be noted thatl if the section is assembled in a boiler inthe position shown the water channel provides a support for the flrepotII and at the same time provides for the relatively cool return water tobe brought in close proximity to the combustion chamber immediately uponentering the boiler. If the boiler is to be used for the burning ofsolid fuels, one or more of the sections 2 are assembled in the boilerin the inverted position to that shown in Fig. 5. In the invertedposition the water channel 8 is immediately above the combustion chamberand provides additional exposed surface within the boiler for theabsorption of heat from the products of combustion. In addition, therectangular shape of the opposite end of the section makes possible alarge and conveniently shaped ash pit.

In order to facilitate the assembly, disassembly and reassembly of theboiler each section is provided with transverse openings therein for thereception of the usual hollow push nipples 2| which interconnect thewater passageways. The boiler is preferably maintained in assembledrelation by the upper and lower tie rods 22 and 23,

respectively. However, if desired, other means may of course be employedfor maintaining the individual boiler sections in cooperative assembledrelation.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificembodiments thereof described herein above, but includes all suchmodifications, variations and equivalents as fall within the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. A boiler for hand or automatic coal-iiring or for oil or gas-ringcomprising a plurality of vertically extending sections, a front boilersection, a rear boiler section and at least one intermediate boilersection therebetween, the said intermediate section being invertible andcapable of assembly with the said front section and the said rearsection in either inverted or upright position, the rear section havinga plurality of horizontal ue outlets, one of the latter being adjacentto the upper portion thereof for attachment of a smoke-hood forcoal-firing or as a relief door opening for oil or gas firing, the otherflue outlet being adjacent the bottom portion of the said rear sectionfor attachment of a smokehood for oil or gas-iiring or for a draft-boxfor coal-firing.

2. In a boiler having a plurality of vertically extending sections, afront section, a rear section, one or more intermediate sectionstherebetween, the said intermediate sections being capable of inversionwhen assembled with said front section and said rear section to convertthe said boiler from an up-draft type of boiler to a down-draft type, orvice versa, the said rear section being provided with a pluralityof flueapertures whereby in predetermined assembly with said intermediatesections, the upper of said flue apertures serves as an outlet for thegases of combustion for a coal-red boiler, the lower of said ueapertures of the rear section being closed when the boiler is converted'to an updraft type and the upper of said ilue apertures of the rearsection being closed when the boiler is assembled for operation as adown-draft boiler.

3. In a boiler selectively suitable for coal, or oil burning or the likeand having a plurality of vertically extending sections, a frontsection, a rear section, and one or more ported intermediate sections,the said intermediate sections being capable of assembly with said frontand rear sections to convert the said boiler from an up-draft type ofboiler to a down-draft type, or vice versa, the said rear section havingupper and lower flue apertures, the arrangement of the said intermediatesections providing that when the sections are inverted in their assemblywith said rear section a horizontal ue passage is formed at the lowerportion of the boiler to make the latter a down-draft type, the lower ofsaid flue apertures of the rear section being closed when the boiler isconverted to an up-draft type and the upper of said flue apertures ofthe rear section being closed when the boiler is assembled for operationas a down-draft boiler.

4. In an up-draft boiler having a plurality of vertically extendingsections, a front section, a back section having upper and lower ilueapertures, and one or more intermediate sections having a plurality ofhorizontally extending ports, intermediate sections being capable ofconverting the said boiler from an up-draft type to a downdraft type ofboiler upon inverting said sections .to transpose said ports from theupper to the lower portions of the said sections, whereby when theboiler is used for oil firing, the lower flue aperture of the backsection serves as an outlet for the gases of combustion, the upper flueaperture of the said back section serving as relief means for theprevention of explosion of the combustible gases within the combustionchamber, the lower of said ue apertures of the rear section being closedwhen the boiler is converted to an up-draft type and the upper of saidflue apertures of the rear section being closed when the boiler isassembled for operation as a down-draft boiler.

PAUL W. VANDENBERG.

